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% THE GLASS FACTORY. %
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¨¨^«*%%§## SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*%% NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES %%*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*%%§## FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨^«*%%§### THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ###§%%*«^¨
¨¨^«*%%§## AND A GIFT SHOP. ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*%% MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE %%*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ CONSIDERED POOR. §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*%%§## THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨^«*%%§### DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ###§%%*«^¨
¨¨^«*%%§## YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*%% LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE %%*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# SOME ARE SHATTERED. #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*%%§## ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨^«*%%§### THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ###§%%*«^¨
¨¨^«*%%§## A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*%% TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF %%*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*%%§## %% ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨^«*%%§### %% %% ###§%%*«^¨
¨¨^«*%%§## ««««««« % % ««««««« ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# %% %% #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ %% §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*%% %%*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*%%§## OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨^«*%%§### DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ###§%%*«^¨
¨¨^«*%%§## BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*%% LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK %%*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*%%§## HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨^«*%%§### HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ###§%%*«^¨
¨¨^«*%%§## IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*%% WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS %%*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*%%§## THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨^«*%%§### HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ###§%%*«^¨
¨¨^«*%%§## LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*%% STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE %%*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*%%§## LIT FROM BEHIND. ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨^«*%%§### ###§%%*«^¨
¨¨^«*%%§## I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*%% LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN %%*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*%%§## OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨^«*%%§### ###§%%*«^¨
¨¨^«*%%§## %% ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# %% %% #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ ««««««« % % ««««««« §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*%% %% %% %%*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ %% §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*%%§## MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨^«*%%§### STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ###§%%*«^¨
¨¨^«*%%§## IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*%% DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY %%*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*%%§## PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨^«*%%§### ###§%%*«^¨
¨¨^«*%%§## THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*%% A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS %%*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*%%§## SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨^«*%%§### THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ###§%%*«^¨
¨¨^«*%%§## IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*%% %%*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*%%§## CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨^«*%%§### BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ###§%%*«^¨
¨¨^«*%%§## FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*%% TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS %%*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# FLOOR. #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*%%§## ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨^«*%%§### HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ###§%%*«^¨
¨¨^«*%%§## KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*%% PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF %%*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*%%§## ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨^«*%%§### I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ###§%%*«^¨
¨¨^«*%%§## WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*%% THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT %%*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# BECOME STILL. #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*%%§## ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨^«*%%§### %% ###§%%*«^¨
¨¨^«*%%§## %% %% ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# ««««««« % % ««««««« #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ %% %% §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*%% %% %%*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*%%§## AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨^«*%%§### BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ###§%%*«^¨
¨¨^«*%%§## STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*%% SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, %%*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨^«*%%§## SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨^«*%%§### THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ###§%%*«^¨
¨¨^«*%%§## GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ##§%%*«^¨¨
¨¨¨^«*%%§# I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE #§%%*«^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^«*%% %%*«^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^«*%%§ I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. §%%*«^¨¨¨¨
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